1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for the automatic adjustment of lighting in sections of a shed device, such as a separation zone. The invention also relates to a control system for a shed device having a number of sections for accommodating animals such as cows, in which a section, such as a separation zone, is provided with adjustable lighting. The invention furthermore relates to a device for keeping dairy animals having a plurality of sections.
2. Description of the Related Art
A shed device, for example having a plurality of production units, in which lactating dairy animals are kept, is known. A shed device for keeping dairy animals may be provided with a number of sections. Examples of such sections are first and second production units, as well as a care unit with a plurality of subunits. A section can also be part of a production unit. An example of a section in a production unit is a production unit which may be provided with at least an accommodation space for a production group of dairy animals which are at the lactation stage. The production unit may also be provided with a section with a milking device for milking the production group. The shed device may also be provided with a separation space, which is also a section.
A section can also be a subunit of the care unit, such as a calving unit for accommodating dairy animals during calving separately or a milking device for milking recently calved dairy animals or a sickbay unit for accommodating sick animals separately. The various sections, units or subunits can be in connection with one another. The connection is preferably a connection which can be walked on, such as a passageway. However, it may also be a connection between buildings.
The sections may be provided with an access device and/or exit device, preferably an access device/exit device which can stop a dairy animal, so that the dairy animal is kept in the present section or which can allow a dairy animal to change sections. The access device is preferably controllable. The access device may be connected to a control unit. The control unit is able to transmit a signal, referred to below as an access signal, to which the access device reacts and allows an animal access to a specific section. Thus, an animal can be given access or be barred from access to a specific section in a controlled manner. In particular, the access device/exit device cooperates with a sensor and an identification device which can be detected by the sensor and is provided on the dairy animal. A signal can be sent from the access device to the control unit. The control unit can process the identification signal and return an appropriate access signal to the access device, which then allows the identified animal access to the section determined by the control unit. The dairy animal which has been identified by the sensor near the access device can thus be given access to a specific section in accordance with a specific desired treatment. A control unit is connected to the sensors (which are positioned on or near the access device) and the access device/exit device and is arranged to control access of the animals to the sections in accordance with specific preferences. Control signals may be transmitted.
It is known that the milk production of dairy animals is influenced by the amount of light to which the dairy animal is exposed each day. In a covered shed device, lighting may be provided. The lighting may have an on/off switch, by means of which the lighting can be switched on or off. In another embodiment, the lighting is connected to a power supply. The power supply may comprise an adjustable switch which can interrupt the connection to the power supply.
It is known to use a sensor such as a movement sensor in order to detect the presence of a dairy animal in a specific section. When the sensor determines that there is no animal present in a specific section, the lighting can be switched off in order to save energy. WO 92/20959 describes a control unit for switching a lamp by means of movement sensors.
However, the fitting of suitable presence sensors in the various sections of a shed is expensive. In addition, there is a risk with presence sensors that the sensor performs an incorrect detection.